Home Minister Rajnath Singh is taking stock of the restive border situation

The government on Monday took stock of the situation along the border with Pakistan following continuous firing from across the frontier targeting Indian border posts and villages.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh held a meeting with Border Security Force (BSF) director general D.K. Pathak after reports of civilian casualties.

The Directors General of Military Operations of the two countries will talk on hotline on Tuesday in an effort to ease tensions.

Ceasefire violations have seen a sudden spurt in recent weeks and the entire stretch of the international border in RS Pura Sector and the Line of Control has suffered fierce exchanges of fire.

Pathak is flying on Tuesday to Jammu, from where he will visit forward posts targeted by the Pakistan Rangers.

The government has asked security forces not to show restraint in retaliating against firing from across the border, said officials. Steps are being taken to insulate civilians.

The Jammu region is one of the worst-affected by the firing. The BSF had earlier claimed that terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba had joined the Pakistan Rangers to orchestrate trouble along the border.

Apart from BSF posts, some civilian establishments have been the target of Pakistani security forces. Villagers have complained that they have been forced to take shelter in other places in the wake of these attacks.

About 40 border posts in Samba district came under heavy firing in the past few days. At least 24 villages along the border were affected.The entire segment in Arnia, RS Pura, Kanachak, Akhnoor and Ramgarg has come under fire.